As a Canadian Immigration Officer working at the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles, one of our main workloads for many years was high-profile Actors, producers and of course, the film or television production crew going to film in Canada.
Did you know that a wide variety of American TV shows and Movies are filmed in Canada. My most recent favorite is HBO Max ‘The Last of US’ with the charismatic Pedro Pascal.
The main common mistakes made in these applications were that it was assumed that Americans did not need a work permit or that their DUI would not render them inadmissible to Canada and that a TRP was not required or could easily be obtained at the port of entry when entering Canada.
Here are some of the requirements to be eligible to be exempted from needing a LMIA (labour market impact assessment):
your work is essential to a live-action TV or film project in the production (filming) stage in Canada
the production will create and maintain significant economic benefits for Canadians and permanent residents
your job is high wage and the occupation is unionized in Canada
But that is not all, the standard eligibility requirements will still need to be met to obtain a work permit:
prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires;
show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home;
obey the law and have no record of criminal activity
not be a danger to Canada’s security;
be in good health and have a medical exam, if needed;
give the officer any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country.
Etc.
The tricky part is that the employer will also need to submit an offer of employment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and pay a $230 employer compliance fee
At BIC we are your one-stop shop for any work permit for any production or event in Canada. You will also have the expertise of an actual immigration officer who used to approve and refuse these types of work permits. Contact us at abeaudoin@beaudoinimmigration.com
Stay tune for my next article providing insights on the exemptions from having to obtain a work permit for certain Film, TV and Artists going to Canada on limited engagement…
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